Palm Coast Council member Ed Danko is leading the charge on behalf of Realtors and other businesses to open up city rights of way to their advertising signs on weekends. Fellow Council member Theresa Pontieri is warning that doing so would open up rights of ways to every sign imaginable, including hate signs, while overwhelming the city’s Code Enforcement Department. The council is split on an issue it will have to decide soon.
All Else
Consultant Says Palm Coast Residents Must Pay Cost of Future Growth With Higher Water Bills. Council Recoils.
Growth is increasing your cost of living as an existing resident of Palm Coast, and you’re going to have to pay for it in higher water and sewer bills, according to a utility-rate consultant Palm Coast government hired. City Council members are not nearly so sure, and are asking for new numbers, possibly sharply raising impact fees on developers and builders.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, November 14, 2023
The Palm Coast City Council will hear the latest utility rate study–usually the precursor to rate hikes, and hear about Community Cats. A few words about the two-state solutions, and a few thoughts from Raja Shehadeh.
What Jail Conditions and Deaths Tell us
Jails are locally managed, and the majority of their populations are being detained pretrial while unconvicted. Data on how many people die while incarcerated is notoriously inaccessible and often unreliable. Relatively high turnover rates, we found, were associated with higher death rates overall, as well as due to suicide, drugs and alcohol, and homicide.
Flagler Playhouse Season Will Continue at Matanzas’s Pirates Theater as ‘ReBuild’ Kicks Off at Woody’s
The Flagler Playhouse’s shows will go on: the venerable company’s 150-foot theater in downtown Bunnell was demolished two weeks ago, but in a Phoenix-like turn-around, its next three shows will be staged at Matanzas High School’s Pirates Theater, essentially more than salvaging the bulk of the season. The playhouse is launching its “Let’s Kick Off the ReBuild” campaign at Woody’s BBQ Tuesday evening.
UF Ordered to Pay $372,000 in Legal Fees in Case that Violated Professors’ 1st Amendment Rights
A federal judge has awarded more than $372,000 in legal fees to attorneys who represented professors in a high-profile lawsuit against the University of Florida over being able to serve as expert witnesses in court cases.
Man Destroys a Room in Reckless Shooting Spree at Topaz Motel Before His Arrest at Gunpoint Blocks Away
A 35-year-old man who claimed he was being chased by assassins with AR-15 rifles fired numerous rounds through the door and windows of Room 214 at the Topaz Motel in Flagler Beach, facing State Road A1A, in a shooting spree that destroyed the room.
154 Participants Later, Flagler Cares’ Opioid Recovery Initiative Marks Its First Year, With New Wheels
The Coordinated Opioid Recovery initiative launched in Flagler County a year ago under the umbrella of Flagler Cares, umbrella. It’s a multi-layered approach that shepherds individuals toward recovery through medically-assisted treatment, peer-to-peer counseling, mental health and other services. Last week it marked its anniversary with, among other things, the ribbon-cutting for an outreach vehicle run by Flagler Open Arms Recovery Services.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, November 13, 2023
The Bunnell City Commission discusses an Italian Festival in the city, Brendan Depa and school violence make it onto Bill Maher, it’s trial week, and the Flagler Cares Coalition’s general membership meets.
Government Shutdown, Chapter DCCLXV*
Much of the news coverage of the discussions and negotiations aimed at averting a government shutdown on Nov. 17, 2023, relies on pundits and their unnamed sources, on leaks, speculation, wishful thinking and maybe even the reading of tea leaves. It’s not about to get better.
Condemn Palestinians’ Genocidal Rhetoric–and Israel’s Genocidal War
There’s unquestionably some river-to-the-sea anti-Semitism out there. It should be and is being denounced. But conflating all criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism is itself a form of bigotry that places Palestinian lives beneath contempt and Israeli policy above reproach, even as swaths of Gaza in November 2023 look like Dresden in February 1945 and anti-Palestinian rhetoric in media and government continues to be indistinguishable from the vilest racism.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, November 12, 2023
The Palm Coast Fall Arts Festival in Central Park, the Farmers’ Market at European Village, Donnie Brook’s underwater UFO base near Deerfield Beach, Rachel Carson on the Sea Around Us.
2030 Clutter Odyssey: 1 Million Satellites in Space?
There are currently only about 8,000 active satellites in orbit. But In September 2021, Rwanda announced that it was planning to launch over 300,000 satellites. Three months later, a Canadian company, having previously launched two dozen CubeSats, said it would launch an additional 100,000. Then, a French company did likewise. And SpaceX, which has already launched around 5,000 satellites, now has plans for over 60,000 more. What’s going on?
Controversial PragerU Materials that Distort Science and Whitewash History Gain Foothold in Florida Schools
PragerU, which is not a university, is founded and run by conservative talk-show host Dennis Prager and funded by a number of like-minded philanthropists. PragerU touts its conservative view as a “free alternative to the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education.” But critics say it distorts science and whitewashes unpleasant aspects of historical events.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, November 11, 2023
Veterans Day Parade in Bunnell and subsequent ceremony at the GSB, celebrating the skies in Flagler Beach with the photography of Scott Spradley and Rick Belhumeur, on the magic of books according to Amos Oz.
More Than One Journalist per Day Is Getting Killed in Gaza
At least 39 journalists and media workers had been killed in the month since the war began, the deadliest conflict for media workers since the Committee to Protect Journalists began keeping records in 1992. The victims are mostly Palestinian journalists and media workers killed in Israel’s attacks on Gaza, but they include four Israelis, whom Hamas murdered in its initial cross-border raid on October 7, and one Beirut-based videographer killed in south Lebanon.
As It Fields Flood of Complaints, Palm Coast Is Revising Building Rules to Limit New Houses’ Fill Elevations
Palm Coast government, responding in part to mounting complaints about flooding seemingly caused by new construction of much higher homes in the city’s quarter-acre single family home lots, is working swiftly to limit how high the slab elevation of new homes, and the fill beneath it, may go. A new house at 98 Birchwood Drive has been ground zero of a problem that until now had not drawn broad attention or responses by the city.
Flagler Beach Government Will Subsidize Local Businesses at First Friday in Latest Effort to Localize the Event
The Flagler Beach City Commission is again directing a First Friday make-over: more focus on live music, no more food trucks, subsidies to encourage local businesses to attend, and continuing fees for non-locals setting up tents. The approach is a reflection of an ongoing challenge: First Friday is not serving enough as a pipeline of business to local merchants, as the city commission intends it to be.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, November 10, 2023
Free For All Fridays tries to make sense of the art scene in Flagler County, the Blue 24 Forum, celebrating Ennio Morricone, Rachel Carson on the Sea Around Us.
A Sociology Course That Deals with Gender, Sexuality and Race May be Demoted at Florida Colleges
The Principles of Sociology class, which still would be available to students, would no longer count toward fulfilling required social-science coursework. The class involves lessons on gender, sex and sexuality and race and ethnicity, according to a syllabus from one university. State Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. wants it removed from the social sciences category.
Abortion Rights Won’t Fade in 2024 Election
Three reasons why: Votes amending state constitutions are key to protecting abortion rights. Reframing abortion restrictions does not fool voters. Abortion rights matter up and down the ballot. In sum, abortion increasingly matters to voters. And most voters do not want laws severely restricting abortion and other kinds of reproductive health care.
Flagler Sheriff’s Office Awarded $355,000 Federal Grant to Develop Hate-Crime Prevention Initiatives
In its application for the grant, the Sheriff’s Office said it would “develop a comprehensive approach to addressing hate crimes committed in Flagler County through enhancing agency investigation and reporting capabilities, as well as by forming partnerships with community stakeholders… in identifying potential hate crimes and targeted violence prevention.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, November 9, 2023
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets, Chris Lowe of Hopkins Marine Station at Stanford University is the speaker at Whitney’s Lecture Series, a stream of consciousness from Brown Dog, plus Jack London.
Is Mormon Church Defrauding Members?
A lawsuit against the LDS church and Ensign Peak, filed on Oct. 31, is based on the premise that the church has violated its members’ trust by amassing massive investments in stocks, bonds, real estate and agriculture that don’t support charitable activities.
Palm Coast Citizens Academy’s 54th Session Graduates 14 Participants
This session of the Palm Coast Citizens Academy began on September 25th and completed on November 6th. The graduates include Rebecca Durrance Leavitt, Kenneth Martin, Richard Cooper, Shara Brodsky, Corinna Martinez, Karen Martin, Carole Holden, Joe Devita, Greyson Schlobohm, Linda Constantine, Christopher Kolega, Samantha Rizzolo, and Steven Scarselli.
Bowing to Bitter Public Opposition, Council Kills Seminole Woods Apartments and Limits Development to 416 Homes
In a twin blow to the developer–and to the city’s meager apartment market–the Palm Coast City Council Tuesday rejected a rezoning application that would have allowed for an apartment complex near the south end of Seminole Woods Boulevard, and rejected a land use change that would have allowed for the total number of housing units there to go from 416 to 850.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, November 8, 2023
The Atlantic Chapter of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State hosts its weekly chat, the office as we knew it is over, the soul of computers.
What Is Intersectionality?
Intersectionality, the social theory, has a complex history and refers to the intertwining of different identities, such as class, gender and age. It is often applied as a way to understand how individuals may experience multiple forms of prejudice simultaneously. The theory assumes that meanings associated with one identity are insufficient to explain the experiences associated with multiple, coexisting identities.
Ormond Beach Sues Flagler County Over Easement, and Threatens to Cut Off Water to Hunter’s Ridge
The City of Ormond Beach is suing Flagler County government and a developer in the Hunter’s Ridge subdivision at the south end of the county, claiming that Flagler and the developer entered into an illegal agreement ceding an easement to the county that crosses a conservation area belonging to the city. Flagler County’s denials aside, Ormond Beach fears–and is convinced–that the county will one day use the 60-foot-wide easement to build a paved road.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, November 7, 2023
The Flagler County School Board’s firing squad meets again to discuss its attorney’s fate, the Palm Coast City Council meets, the Central Amazon Conservation Complex, Frederick Douglass on “the dark outlines of approaching disasters.”
Should Domestic Abusers Have Access to Guns?
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday hears arguments in a case that will decide whether courts should, as is the case in Florida, have the authority to take away the guns of people who are under a domestic violence protective order, which aims to shield victims from their abusers.
Public-Notice Misstep Delays County Commission’s Decision on Captain’s BBQ Settlement to Nov. 20
The Flagler County Commission held a two-hour closed-door session this afternoon to discuss a potential settlement in Captain’s BBQ’s four-year-old lawsuit against the county. What was to be a special meeting following the closed session was postponed because it was not properly noticed. So commissioners could not reach consensus, make motions or take a vote.
Gas Prices Decline to Lowest Level Since December 2022
Prices are the lowest since December 2022 and that about 20 percent of Florida gas stations have gas costing below $3 a gallon. Prices in the Palm Coast area are ranging between $3 a gallon and $3.25, with lower prices prices further south.
Judge Orders 85-Year-Old Man Accused in Woodlands Murder to Be Evaluated for Competence
Circuity Judge Terence Perkins today ordered a neuropsychological evaluation of Charles Kidd Jr., the 85-year-old former resident of Blare Drive in Palm Coast’s Woodlands accused of murdering 36-year-old Mark Ruschmeier in August.
AdventHealth Surgeon John Cascone Charged with Child Abuse in 2nd Arrest in 4 Years
John Cascone, the AdventHealth Palm Coast surgeon who pleaded to a battery charge in a domestic violent case four years ago, was arrested again on Saturday (Nov. 4) on a felony count of aggravated child abuse involving a 15-year-old girl, and a felony battery count involving his wife. He was released the next day on $60,000 bond.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, November 6, 2023
Alleged murderer Charles Kidd Jr.’s competence is decided in court, the County Commission decides whether to approve a settlement with Captain’s BBQ, from Obama to Double Trump.
Daylight Saving Time Is More Dangerous Than Beneficial
The empirical evidence for the intended benefits of daylight saving time are mixed at best, whereas the costs of the switch to daylight saving time are becoming increasingly evident. The American public has had a love-hate relationship with daylight saving time since it first became law in 1918.
By God: Why Matt Gaetz Is In Love With Mike Johnson
That Matt Gaetz is so deliriously happy should tell you quite a bit about Mike Johnson, the latest speaker of the House: he is the most unabashedly Christian nationalist speaker in history.
Gamble Rogers Folk Festival’s Monthly Concert Series at Waterworks
For over 25 years, the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival has celebrated the indelible mark he left on folk music. Now in its second year, the “Live From The Waterworks” Concert Series celebrates Rogers’ legacy by showcasing musicians that echo his hallmark talents – fingerstyle guitar artistry and storytelling.
At Florida Summit, Trump Bashes, Mocks and Triumphs
Former President Donald Trump, the frontrunner in the GOP presidential race, closed out a daylong event at the Republican Party’s Florida Freedom Summit in Kissimmee on Saturday with an 80-minute address filled with mockery — bashing GOP challengers Gov. Ron DeSantis, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, plus President Joe Biden.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, November 5, 2023
“Educating Rita,” a staged reading at City Repertory Theatre, Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, Cliché Day, Hanan Ashrawi back in 2000.
On Campus, a Challenging Time for Free Speech and Empathy
College and university campuses across the U.S. have seen polarization and unrest since the Israel-Hamas war began with the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023. Students and faculty have held protests and rallies, argued on social media and signed statements, some of which have increased mistrust and turmoil on campus.
How a Reckless FHP Chase Almost Caused a Catastrophic Crash in Seminole Woods
On Oct. 26, Palm Coast resident Kendall Clark and her husband were driving in a residential Seminole Woods neighborhood to visit family when they were almost in a severe crash with a Florida Highway Patrol trooper chasing an alleged suspect who had committed no violent crime nor was wanted on a warrant.
ACLU Calls Out Florida’s Suppression of Palestinian Students’ Voices
Top leaders at the American Civil Liberties Union criticized Florida in a letter Wednesday for demanding the deactivation of chapters of a pro-Palestine student organization. More than 600 college and university leaders received the letter, urging them to reject political calls to investigate and punish student groups for exercising free speech.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, November 4, 2023
The Gammon Ruck Relay across fire stations, Clean-Up Day at the Florida Agriculture Museum, Flagler Woman’s Club’s Craft Extravaganza, “Educating Rita,” a staged reading at City Repertory Theatre, Laika the poor Russian dog sacrificed to Sputnik.
In Gaza, Children Are the Ultimate Pawns and Victims
Hamas militants killed approximately 30 Israeli children when they attacked civilians on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,400 people altogether. At least 20 Israeli children remain hostage in Gaza. Since Oct. 7, Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 2,000 Palestinian children and more than 8,000 people overall, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Construction Begins at AdventHealth Palm Coast’s Freytag Health Plaza
Named in honor of Palm Coast residents Peter and Sue Freytag, the Health Plaza will become a vital hub for cancer treatment, primary care and rehabilitation services.
Miami-Dade Poised to Approve Nation’s 1st Protections from Excessive Heat for Outdoor Workers
South Florida’s Miami-Dade County could be the only local government in the nation to provide heat-related protections for outdoor workers in the construction and agriculture industries, though advocates claim the proposal has been watered down due to lobbying by business interests.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, November 3, 2023
Central Park Bike Rodeo & Ride, Flagler Woman’s Club’s Craft Extravaganza, “Educating Rita” at City Rep Theatre, First Friday in Flagler Beach, euphemizing Israeli terrorism as “settler extremism.”
Kristallnacht, 85 Years Ago: Hitler’s Anti-Semitic Turning Point
Kristallnacht–the Night of Broken Glass–was the logical culmination of Hitler’s malevolent intentions going back many years before 1938. Seeing it that way allows us to view the two different kinds of antisemitism in Hitler’s thinking, one involving emotions and the other involving the law and reason. The latter foreshadowed the mass shooting squads and death camps of the early 1940s.